How tourists are met in the republics of Central Asia. Central Asia is an amazing place
middle Asia- this is an ancient land, about which many different legends and tales are composed. The most secret secrets of the East are hidden there. The most famous talented people filled the countries of Central Asia with their beautiful creations.
Which states are part of
Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan - these five states are included in the map of Central Asia. Each of them has their own unique story formation and development. The Silk Road, which passed through the lands of these states, played a big role in this. There is a huge amount historical monuments reminding their people of the past. Today, all countries in this region are independent.
Nature and climate of Central Asia
The states of Central Asia are distinguished by a sharply continental and sometimes desert climate. This is due to the distant location of the oceans, with the presence of mountain barriers. It is the mountains that do not let the cyclones and monsoons of the Mediterranean pass through. In its northern part, winter is usually very severe. Summer throughout Central Asia is hot and dry. Strong winds is a common occurrence in this area.
For desert plains, heavy rainfall is a rarity. However, this does not prevent the existence Aral Sea, which is fed from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, they carry water from the Pamir itself. But for last years there is a tendency to a significant decrease in its area, the reason for this phenomenon is melioration.
The landscapes of the plains in this area are replaced by mountain ranges. Some of the most famous mountain ranges are located here. Tien Shan is located on the territory of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Pamir, known also refers to the mountains located on the territory of Central Asia. Exists a large number of others mountain ranges, ridges and glaciers, they border on some of the most arid and hot deserts of these places.
Population, economy and cities
If you add up the total population of all the countries of Central Asia, you get about 65 million people. Indigenous peoples belong mainly to the Turkic-speaking peoples, these are Uzbeks, Karakalpaks, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Turkmens. Tajiks belong to the Iranian group. During the times of repressions and mass in the Soviet Union, a large number of Russian, German, Korean, Dungan, Ukrainian, Tatar and Meskhetian population moved to the territory of these states. Most of them profess Islam. However, Christianity is also quite common in these lands.
The economies of the countries are supported by agriculture and mining. The subsoil is rich in ferrous, non-ferrous and precious metals, oil, gas, coal, etc. The long and very hot summer allows you to collect good harvests of various crops, sometimes even several times a year.
The largest cities are Alma-Ata, Shymkent, Ferghana, Namangan, Samarkand, Ashgabat, Bishkek and Khujand. These cities are located famous monuments culture and history.
Tajikistan
This country is one of the oldest. The capital of the state is the city of Dushanbe. It is here that the massifs and the Tien Shan are located. Thanks to them, a flow of tourists engaged in mountaineering enters the country.
This state is the smallest in terms of area of all that are part of Central Asia, it is 143.1 thousand km 2. The population of the country is over 7,200,000 people.
Kazakhstan (Central Asia)
Only applies to Central Asia South part countries. The capital is the city of Astana. The area of the state is 15.6 million km2. To date, the population of the country has exceeded 17,000,000 people.
The climate on the territory of the state is dry and sharply continental. Characterized by semi-deserts, steppes and semi-steppes. Winters in this region are usually cold and summers are dry.
Kyrgyzstan
The capital of the country is the city of Bishkek. The population of the state is more than 5,000,000 people. His total area- 198.5 thousand km 2. This country is considered the most mountainous region in Central Asia.
Most famous place in this region - the beautiful lake Issyk-Kul. This is where most tourists go. There is information that this state is also called the Switzerland of the East.
These places are characterized by hot weather in summer and rather severe winters.
Uzbekistan
The capital of the state is the city of Tashkent. The area is 447.9 thousand km 2. The population is over 29,000,000 people.
The climate of the country can be classified as sharply continental. Winters are very warm and short, summers are early and hot. Uzbekistan is famous for the abundance of agricultural fruits.
Turkmenistan
The capital of the country is the city of the state - 448.1 thousand km 2. The population is over 5,000,000 people.
The climate can be classified as dry. This area is characterized by cold winters and very hot summers. There is a big problem with water resources.
Beautiful Central Asia
Since ancient times, this region has been of great importance in the trade relations of the East and countries of other regions. played a major role in this.
Variety of cultural monuments historical sites attracts a large number of tourists every year. Various resorts and recreation areas, which are rich in Central Asia, have become a favorite for vacationers from other countries. This is also facilitated by the hospitality of the people and their cordiality.
The nature of these places is beautiful and unique, the variety of landscapes only surprises with its beauty. Any guest who has visited these places will remember his visit to these countries for a long time to come.
Task number 1: The student must write a physical essay on a given topic, in which he must give a solution and explanation of the problems of cognition posed in the physical essay (highlighted in bold).
"Man dressed and shod"
“Why does a person need clothes and shoes”? This question will seem far-fetched and strange to most people. And the answers to it will not be very diverse: "not to be naked, to be beautiful, not to freeze." Is it really?
If it's about aesthetic feelings, then what could be more beautiful than the human body? Covering up nakedness is only an attempt to hide this beauty, and not the desire to cover up “human shame” with pieces of cloth. Although for some this thesis looks controversial only because the standard of beauty for them is completely different.
As for morality, is it not an immoral act to try to deceive, mislead another person on the issue of one's age, health and physical disabilities? Let an involuntary attempt ...
The most prosaic reason remains - not to freeze. Is it really that simple? Let's discuss it. For example, is the expression “a fur coat warm” true? Why? Why does woolen clothing retain heat better than cotton clothing?
It is quite cool outside and therefore it is necessary to dress according to the weather, unless of course you personally have the goal of hardening the body or educating the will.
In the Urals, the weather is unstable and heat may set in in a couple of days. Although it gets chilly in the evenings. Which shirt, dark or light, should be worn during the day to be less heated, and at night to be less cool?
But here's the paradox. Why do local residents in the countries of Central Asia during extreme heat wear hats - hats and wadded robes? At what temperatures environment wearing such clothes is most appropriate?
The choice of this or that clothing depends not only on the weather or climatic conditions but also on the type of activity that a person is engaged in. What should be the clothes for sports? Why? Why is a sports shirt most often made from knitwear? Why athletes who finished their performance on fresh air covered with a blanket?
Clothing saves us from hypothermia and overheating, protects us from shock and sharp objects. But poorly chosen clothes bring a lot of discomfort and inconvenience. Dress properly - create conditions for a good mood, despite hard frost or terrible heat. Remember this always.
Answer to the task of Alekhine Semyon
Clothing serves mainly to protect against adverse climate and weather conditions - too low or too high temperatures, direct sunlight, rain, wind. In part, a person dresses out of a sense of shame or a desire to decorate himself, but these natural aspirations determine, mainly, only the shape and cut of clothing. The choice of materials that we use to build it depends on how one or another substance really meets the tasks of clothing as a means of protection. First of all, we demand from clothing that it helps us to coordinate the production of heat in our body, as well as its return to the environment, with the external temperature. To a certain extent, this coordination also takes place against our will, with the help of that mechanism, surprising in its expediency, which, in charge of the chemical and physical regulation of our thermal economy, automatically increases or decreases heat production and heat transfer. But it is not able to protect us, adequately and for a long time, against the extremes of external temperature, and cannot save us from those unpleasant subjective sensations that are caused by the action of cold air or the scorching rays of the sun on a naked body. These unpleasant subjective sensations have long prompted a person to look for such means of protection that would greatly facilitate the task of chemical and physical regulation of our thermal economy, i.e., would save us from excessive spending on food and provide us with such a condition of the skin, such the degree of filling it with blood, in which we feel good and which are generally necessary to maintain the normal and very complex functions of this organ.
Is the expression "fur coat warm" true? Why? Why does woolen clothing retain heat better than cotton clothing?
In fact, it is not a fur coat that warms a person, but, on the contrary, a person warms a fur coat. The fur coat does not heat, it retains heat. How could it be otherwise? After all, a fur coat is not an oven. The fur contains air between the hairs. The more air there is, the less the thermal conductivity of this tissue becomes, the air has a low thermal conductivity. A very poor conductor of heat is the fur of various animals, because. in winter, in the costume of these animals, between large hair and feathers, there is a huge amount of extremely small and thin hairs ("fluff") covering the entire surface of the skin, finely porous, voluminous, but at the same time very light shell, characterized by low thermal conductivity and representing good protection against the outside cold. Fabrics made of fine soft wool, fluff or fur are of the same importance for a person. Instead of warming the air in the room or on the street with our heat, we warm the fur coat, which keeps our warmth around us. A fur coat also, of course, gives off heat to the outside, but much more slowly than our body.
What is more profitable - to wear one thick or two thin shirts? What shoes to choose - tight or spacious?
Two shirts are warmer. It's not so much the shirts themselves, but the air that is between the shirts. Air does not transmit heat well, it has low thermal conductivity. The more air between the shirts, the thicker the airy dress that protects our body from the cold.
Two shirts are two airy dresses, and one, though thick, is only one airy dress.
In winter, feet get colder in tight shoes than in spacious ones. In spacious shoes, the air gap between the foot and the shoe, due to the poor thermal conductivity of the air, will better retain the heat coming from the foot.
Why do people prefer light, light-colored fabrics in hot weather?
High temperature and humidity increase sweating - this is how the body reacts to hot summer weather. Therefore, it is necessary to choose light clothing from a fabric that removes moisture from the body and contributes to its rapid evaporation. In summer, the size and weight of clothing take on special significance. Light, loose-fitting clothing is best for summer. Dark colors absorb heat; light colors repel him, which is why it is cooler in light clothes
Which shirt, dark or light, should be worn during the day to be less heated, and at night to be less cool?
During the day, you need to wear light-colored clothes in order to heat up less, because they absorb heat less, reflecting it, than black clothes. But it also radiates less, so at night, in order to cool down less, you also need to wear a light-colored shirt.
Why do local residents in the countries of Central Asia wear hats - papakhas and wadded robes during a strong heat wave? At what ambient temperatures is it most advisable to wear such clothing?
During the intense heat in the countries of Central Asia, people wear hats and cotton robes. Due to the poor thermal conductivity of these materials, they protect people from overheating (in this case, the ambient temperature must be higher than the temperature of the human body, then this method works).
What should be the clothes for sports? Why? Why is a sports shirt most often made from knitwear? Why are athletes who finish their performance outdoors covered with a blanket?
Clothing should not impede heat transfer from the surface of the body, but should allow it freely insofar as it is necessary for the well-being of the organism itself. In addition, it should not interfere with air exchange on the surface of the body, but should only moderate the movement of air to such an extent that it does not cause unpleasant subjective sensations. Clothing should perfectly absorb moisture from the surface of the body and bring it to the outer surface, which allows you to feel dry, regardless of the intensity of the workout.
Due to its structure, knitwear stretches well, so the knitted T-shirt tightly fits the human body. And since during physical exercises heat transfer increases and the athlete is exposed to sharp temperature fluctuations, knitwear, being hygroscopic, absorbs sweat and, as it were, regulates evaporation, preventing hypothermia and overheating of the body.
A sweaty athlete loses a lot of heat to evaporation, and this can lead to colds.
If you are going to pick mushrooms in early autumn, then what clothes should you wear in this case? Why is heat more difficult to bear in boots and rubberized clothing?
Clothing should be comfortable, loose, not restricting human movements, durable, able to protect against rain, wind, dampness and insects. It can be made from various natural fabrics or from relatively recent, but proven breathable synthetics made using membrane technologies, due to which the fabric allows steam to pass through, but prevents the penetration of water.
Be sure to have a raincoat. It is made of polyethylene film or other waterproof material. A jacket, if possible, should be chosen with a detachable lining. Autumn weather is changeable, the sun can quickly change into bad weather and vice versa. The detachable lining will help you avoid trouble due to changing weather. Rubberized clothing prevents evaporation from the surface of the body, as a result of which the body overheats and the heat is much more difficult to bear.
Task number 2: It is necessary to give an explanation of the essence of the physical errors made and give your correct answer if there is no correct answer among the proposed options.
Work on mistakes
It is known that what more speed movement of the body's molecules, the higher its temperature. Why doesn't a bullet fired in a shooting range from a pneumatic gun heat up, although all its molecules move towards the target at high speed?
Answer to the task of Matvey Kulagin
(student of the Municipal Educational Institution "Secondary School No. 30", Berezniki)
Correct answer: We believe that there are no correct answers from the proposed options, since the speed of the molecules does not depend on the speed of the bullet. The temperature of the bullet depends on the speed of movement of the molecules inside the bullet. Imagine that a bullet is a bus, and people are molecules. Let all people go to their places at a speed of 5 km per hour, let this, for example, correspond to the temperature of a bullet when the bus is stopped. If the bus has gone, then the speeds of people have remained the same, which means that the temperature of the bullet has remained the same, which means that it makes no difference whether the bus is moving or at rest, the speeds of people relative to the bus remain the same. The same happens with the molecules in the pool. The speeds of molecules in a resting bullet and moving bullets are the same relative to the bullet, as are the speeds of people relative to a moving and resting bus. Therefore, the temperature of the bullet does not change and is equal to the ambient temperature. The internal energy will not change and will also remain the same.
1 option: The bullet does not heat up, because it has mechanical energy, potential, kinetic, internal energy.
The answer is incorrect, since a change in the internal energy of any body can occur due to work done on it or due to heat transfer. The internal energy does not depend on the magnitude of the mechanical energy of the body, for example, when the body is lifted to a certain height, that is, when the potential energy of the body increases, its internal energy does not change.
Option 2: The bullet moves faster than its molecules and therefore begins to cool.
The answer is incorrect, since the internal energy of a body does not depend on the value of the kinetic energy of the same body.
3 option: I believe that the bullet does not heat up, because heating depends on the mass of the body. And the mass of the body of the bullet is very small.
The answer is incorrect, because, firstly, the amount of heat required to heat a body by a certain number of degrees is directly proportional to the mass of this body (Q \u003d cm (t 2 - t 1), and not inversely proportional, as stated. Secondly , the answer is not on the merits of the question.
4 option: The bullet does not heat up, because, flying in the air, it gives up its heat to the air and therefore it cools.
The answer is incorrect, since the temperature of the bullet does not change if no work is done on it or heat transfer is not carried out. Secondly, if we still take into account the amount of work done by the air resistance force on the bullet, then, on the contrary, it should heat up, and not cool down. For example, due to the work done by the force of air resistance on the bullet, the tracer bullet heats up so much that the substance with which it is covered begins to glow.
5 option: The fired bullet did not heat up, because the bullet moved quickly with the help of a compressed spring and pushed it out of the rifle. But if the target is attached to the wall, then the bullet would heat up. Another bullet flew out "not of its own accord." When we load a gun, we cock the spring.
The answer is incorrect, and not to the point, because, firstly, an air gun shoots due to the energy of compressed air, and not due to the energy of a spring. Secondly, no body can accelerate itself; an uncompensated action of other bodies on it is necessary.
6 option: Not a single action is transmitted instantly, so it does not have time to heat up, but it is possible that the bullet that flies itself is small and cannot heat up when rubbing with air, because it has a streamlined shape.
The answer is not correct, because, firstly, it was not stated anywhere that the bullet was in flight for an infinitely small period of time. Secondly, the essence of the question is completely different: does the value of the internal energy depend on the value of the mechanical energy of the bullet, and not on how to change the internal energy of the bullet.
7 option: As the distance between the bullet and gun increases, the kinetic energy decreases and the potential energy increases.
The answer is not correct, since kinetic energy depends on the mass and speed of the bullet, and not on the distance that the bullet has moved away from the gun. The potential energy of gravity depends on the height (vertical distance) of the body above the ground, but not on the distance that the bullet has traveled horizontally. But, most importantly, the internal energy of the body does not depend on the value of this or that mechanical energy.
8 option: A bullet fired in a shooting range from a pneumatic gun does not heat up due to the phenomenon of heat transfer from the bullet to the barrel of the gun, and the bullet is also cooled by the air through which it passes.
The sharp rise in the dollar and the euro is forcing Russians to change their usual travel routes. The less accessible Europe is, the more attractive Central Asia looks with its still fabulous low prices and a variety of tourism opportunities. Lenta.ru dealt with the details.
Land of mountains, deserts and minarets
Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva - these cities are considered to be the citadel of the Central Asian Muslim culture. You can spend hours wandering through their picturesque narrow streets, admiring ancient palaces and mosques, to delve into the trading ruins with all sorts of things. Tired? Climb the minaret of the largest mosque and look at the city from a bird's eye view - the view will be amazing.
The center of local social life is the bazaar. Any purchase here, thanks to the jokes of the sellers, imperceptibly turns into a fascinating theatrical performance. It is pleasant to end the evening in one of the teahouses, slowly sipping fragrant tea from a bowl, enjoying the murmur of the fountain and the singing of birds languishing in cages. It is best to spend the night in one of the small hotels with a "preserved flavor" arranged in the homes of wealthy citizens of the 19th century.
"And now we're going to eat a little!"
ancient cities - perfect place for tasting Tajik-Uzbek cuisine. If the cult of wine reigns in the Caucasus, then in Central Asia - the cult of food. Guests are greeted here with the indispensable phrase: “And now we will eat a little!”
Of course, the main local dish is pilaf, the recipes of which vary greatly by region. A good pilaf is certainly cooked on firewood and in an old, fat-soaked cauldron. However, as chefs honestly warn (they are called masters here), you never know in advance what the dish will turn out to be. After all, its preparation is an act of genuine creativity.
Lagman is very popular in Central Asia - a rich dish of meat, vegetables, homemade noodles and thick broth. And in some regions of Uzbekistan, they also cook an ancient dish of nomads - tandyr-kebab: pieces of lamb baked in a clay oven.
They also love various sweets in Central Asia, which are poetically called relatives of the cake, as well as dried fruits and nuts. All this is necessarily washed down with tea from bowls. By the way, pouring a full bowl to a guest is considered an insult. This is regarded as a hint: they say, drink and leave. The bowl is supposed to be poured with respect, that is, up to half, and then follow: is it necessary to add a new portion of tea to the guest.
Almost according to Shakhnazarov
When you admire the entourage of a medieval Muslim city to your heart's content, get fed up with magnificent feasts and long tea parties, go to Karakalpakstan. The road goes through a gloomy, almost lifeless desert: only occasionally will someone's yurt flash past or a nomad on a camel appear. After a tiring journey, finally, the ancient ruined fortresses of the Khorezm Empire, lost in the sands, are visible. The hero of Karen Shakhnazarov's film "The Disappeared Empire" went to one of these fortresses.
The parallels between the disappeared Khorezm and Soviet empires, which are the leitmotif of Shakhnazar's picture, are quite strongly felt in Central Asia. If in Russia many benefited from the collapse of the USSR, then in Central Asia, with the exception of an extremely small stratum of local princelings, the collapse of the empire turned into tragedies for almost everyone local residents. “We lived like in paradise!” - they talk here about the Soviet times.
Louvre in the sands
In the sands of the Kyzyl Kum there are not only the ruins of ancient fortresses, yurts and camels. Few people know that a world-class museum is located here, nicknamed in the Western press by the Louvre in the Dead Sands. The museum of Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan, houses the second most important collection of Russian avant-garde. Art critics and admirers of modern painting from all over the world specially come to this very provincial town, gradually being eaten away by the desert, to admire the rare canvases.
It was founded by the artist Igor Savitsky. In 1950, a graduate of the Moscow Art Institute came to Karakalpakstan with an archaeological expedition. Picturesque pastures of the Karakalpaks, harsh beauty the Kyzylkum desert, the ruins of ancient cities captivated him so much that he decided to exchange Moscow for this monstrous Asian wilderness.
The main business of the Central Asian Tretyakov was the creation unique museum. Taking advantage of the remoteness of the city from the center and the big bosses, Savitsky, a passionate admirer of the Russian avant-garde, collected it all over Soviet Union. So a unique collection was formed in Nukus.
horse and mountains
Central Asia is not only monuments of hoary antiquity. Exotic lovers can go to high mountain pastures in Kyrgyzstan. Live in yurts, eat healthy dairy and meat food, ride horses. IN Lately This type of holiday is becoming more and more popular. There are even tourists from Europe and the USA in the Kyrgyz camps.
mountain pearl
The region is very proud of its "sea" - alpine lake Issyk-Kul with crystal clean water and breathtaking views. Alas, there are significant downsides to staying here. There are many tourists, so spending time in a tent "away from the hustle and bustle" will not work. And the service has remained quite Soviet - with miserable boarding houses and bad restaurants, where the low quality of food is compensated by loud tasteless music. The beaches are also usually dirty and noisy.
Fearless Islam
A rare tourist who comes to Central Asia does not visit a mosque. In the Soviet years, lifestyle local population differed little from how other citizens of the USSR lived. Men drank alcohol, women dressed almost as freely as in other Union republics. Meanwhile, even under the communists in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, clandestine mosques operated under the guise of teahouses, and many party bosses, having retired, began to read namaz.
After the collapse of the USSR, a real religious boom erupted. Today, on the days of Friday prayers, the mosques are filled to capacity. Especially in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, where even in Soviet times there were enough deeply religious people. After the collapse of the USSR, the number of believers increased significantly. This greatly frightens the republican authorities and even provokes them to reprisals. A bearded man can be detained right on the street and sent to the police station to determine his identity.
In Kyrgyzstan, believers are treated more liberally. And this led to somewhat unusual visual results. Unlike other countries in the region, Pakistani preachers are allowed into the republic, so many Kyrgyz Muslims even began to dress differently.
However, in any Central Asian state, a Russian can not be afraid that he will be forced to live according to Sharia law. Islam in the region is mild and tourists are welcome in any mosque. IN major cities men can safely walk in shorts, and women in short skirts. At least for now, Central Asia is very secularized compared to neighboring Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey.
Water mills, oxen and grain on asphalt
After the collapse of the USSR, life in many Central Asian republics returns to a traditional, almost medieval way of life. No matter how cynical it sounds, it will be interesting for a tourist to plunge into such a modern past. They plow here, as in ancient times, on oxen, and grind grain in water mills. However, there is another way of threshing, in a sense even more technologically advanced: in Tajikistan, for example, ears of wheat are laid out on the road and waiting for cars to pass over them.
Temporary wife
The impoverishment of the population in the region led to the rapid development of the local sex industry. In Dushanbe and Bishkek, sex for an hour is offered for $20, and even cheaper in the provinces. In Bishkek newspapers, such sentences are not uncommon: “Watch lesbian love, and then join two charming girlfriends yourself.” It only costs 2,000 som (about $30).” Bishkek brothels differ little from Thai ones: the client sits over a cup of coffee, choosing from half-naked beauties dancing in front of him. And in Tashkent, where the police are more strict, the service "temporary wife" is offered: this is both sex and living together.
Until quite recently, many locals preferred not official checkpoints, but illegal ones " ferry crossings". But today you can easily get a bullet for it. Uzbek border guards do not hesitate to open fire to kill.
If the Uzbeks separated from Kyrgyzstan with barbed wire, and from Tajikistan even with minefields, then the Kyrgyz-Tajik border is still purely formal - it is often guarded only by speed bumps.
Dead cities
In Soviet times, distant mountainous areas Central Asia were actively developed. High in the mountains, hundreds of kilometers from big cities dams and mines were built. Volunteers from all over the country went to the exemplary settlements. Today, many have turned into ghost towns. Destroyed houses, rare passers-by. From the outside, all this resembles the area of recent hostilities.
By the way, in many countries, for example in the USA, such abandoned cities are turned into tourist attractions. Ghost towns are overgrown with souvenir shops and restaurants.
In Central Asia, this has not yet been reached, but there is still a certain shift in this direction. So, for example, the former town of miners of the uranium mine Yangiabad was transformed into a "dacha" settlement of Tashkent residents. From Soviet times, a monument to Tchaikovsky has been preserved here, nicknamed Fantomas by the locals.
In the Central Asian countries, we are no longer strangers, and we can say that in fact they are not at all the way they are portrayed by the media or the authors of guidebooks. We have collected the most popular misconceptions about Central Asia, some of which, to be honest, we ourselves were subject to.
Myth 1. It is dangerous in Central Asia
This popular myth was born out of migrant workers, who are often featured in Russian crime chronicles. But traveling in Central Asia itself (even for girls!) is absolutely safe: people are open, friendly, speak Russian and are ready to help, and no one will even rob and deceive you. It seems that all the cunning and criminal elements have long gone to Russia to work.
Publication from Pasha and Lena (@_pashalena_) May 17, 2017 at 10:50 PDT
Anyone who has ever been in the Moscow metro has seen visitors from Central Asia: many of them are dressed casually, in sneakers and sweatpants, often look at others with aggression and do not understand how life works big city. Most Central Asians are completely different: calm, smiling, many with higher education, work in offices and are dressed in a businesslike manner. They also explained to us that the workers who come to Russia, most often from remote villages, where there is no culture of behavior in the city, and there is nowhere for it to come from. We observed this in Dushanbe, and in due time we will tell you in detail about it.
Myth 3. It's hot in Central Asia and there are melons with watermelons at every step
Arriving in Central Asia in early May, we were forced to put on warm jackets and scarves. At the end of April in Astana, Kazakhstan, the weather was more Siberian than stereotypical Central Asian; pouring rain at a temperature of +6, and in Kyrgyzstan the weather did not indulge in heat. According to the stories of local residents, the winter in Central Asia is cold, with wind and precipitation, often in the form of snow. It is hot in Central Asia only from May to September.
Publication from Pasha and Lena (@_pashalena_) May 26, 2017 at 7:41 PDT
Melons and watermelons at every step can be found only in season: in the second half of summer and in the first two months of autumn. In early May, there are no melons and gourds in sight, only strawberries.
Myth 4. In Central Asia, everyone eats pilaf
Pilaf is indeed very popular, but it is far from being the only local dish. Manti, kebabs, beshbarmak, cakes are frequent guests on the table, and Russian cuisine is all the time: eating buckwheat or borscht is not a problem. By the way, lamb is the most popular meat in Central Asia, unlike pork and chicken in Russia.
Publication from Pasha and Lena (@_pashalena_) Jun 1, 2017 at 7:39 PDT
Myth 5. Russians left Central Asia
This is partly true: after the collapse of the USSR, many Russians moved to Russia. And many stayed and live well: in Kazakhstan, and in Uzbekistan, and in Kyrgyzstan. The exception is perhaps Tajikistan, where there are few Russians, but there were very few of them back in Soviet times.
Yes, in any country in Central Asia, 95% of the inhabitants understand Russian and speak it. The only exceptions are mountain villages, remote villages and the Ferghana Valley in Uzbekistan.
Myth 6. Central Asia is a Muslim region
Despite the fact that the most popular religion in all the countries of Central Asia is Islam, these countries are secular. The state does not plant religion in them, alcohol is sold freely and consumed by the locals with might and main, girls wear skirts of any length, men do not wear beards, and Friday is a normal working day. There are many mosques, but only a few percent of the population are deeply religious. So to call the region Muslim can only be a stretch. Although in Kazakhstan and especially in Kyrgyzstan
Publication from Pasha and Lena (@_pashalena_) Apr 27 2017 at 7:53 PDT
Myth 7. Central Asia is an undeveloped region
Only those who have never been to the Central Asian countries can say this. The capitals, and often the second cities of each country, are major cities with hotels, restaurants, entertainment, dedicated internet, and more.
Publication from Pasha and Lena (@_pashalena_) May 31, 2017 at 2:33 PDT
It is difficult to compare with Europe (and is it necessary?), but no horrors with the hourly supply of water and electricity, the lack of the Internet and paid medicine have not been confirmed. In medicine, they were very surprised that the results of a blood test in Tashkent were ready in just a couple of hours!
Publication from Pasha and Lena (@_pashalena_) May 27, 2017 at 5:12 PDT
Myth 8. Samarkand is the most interesting Central Asian city
Uzbekistan is the most popular tourist country in Central Asia, and Samarkand is the tourist mecca of Uzbekistan, where endless streams of people eager to touch the antiquity pour from all over the world. But in fact, the Registan - the main place of Samarkand - was recreated almost from ruins: at the end of the 19th century, a devastating earthquake occurred in the city.
In Uzbekistan, we liked the ancient and mysterious Khiva and Bukhara much more, in Kazakhstan - Almaty and Astana, as well as the Kyrgyz Osh saturated with oriental flavor and absolutely non-touristic, but exciting Tajik Khujand. So if you are going to Central Asia, pay attention to our top and don't get hung up on Samarkand.
Publication from Pasha and Lena (@_pashalena_) May 7, 2017 at 8:09 PDT
Myth 9. Hellish unsanitary conditions in Central Asia
We flew to Central Asia immediately from Southeast Asia and we will report to you that the contrast is striking. In Central Asian countries, instead of South Asian macaroons, there are a bunch of stationary cafes where food is brought to you on a clean tablecloth in clean dishes, and when you accidentally enter the kitchen, your appetite will not only not be spoiled by what you see, but on the contrary, it will break out. By the way, in Thailand, Cambodia and other Southeast Asian countries, we categorically do not recommend looking into the kitchen. Of course, but we confidently write the statement about unsanitary conditions in Central Asia into myths.
Myth 10. Only tea is drunk in Central Asia
- far from the only drink in Central Asia, although the most popular. In large cities, there are a lot of coffee shops, cafes offer a wide range of juices and alcohol, and draft compote, kvass and maksym (a Kyrgyz wheat drink) are sold on the streets. So although they love tea very much, they are not limited to it alone. Uzbekistan even has its own wine, however, very much for everyone.
Don't give in to stereotypes, come where your heart takes you and form your own opinion about the city, country and region. We have been doing this for a long time and successfully, and we wish you the same.
Sometimes not the most obvious places are fraught with many secrets. The capitals of the former Soviet republics are developing at an incredible pace, without losing the charm of the east. We found out what to go for and what to see in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.
The fourth largest city in the CIS (after Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kyiv) - Tashkent - is a typical Soviet metropolis, with quarters of the old city. After a strong earthquake in the mid-60s, the city was completely rebuilt, and today it surprises not so much with oriental flavor as with an unthinkable heap of contradictions: elongated windows of a Gothic Polish church, ceramic tiles with traditional ornaments of the Kukeldash madrasah, a Lutheran church designed by Benois and the bell tower of Svyato -Uspensky Cathedral Where else can you see such diversity? However, the best restaurants, museums and nightclubs of the country are also located here, and for those who are tired of the metropolis, there is a wonderful Ugam-Chatkal national park It's only an hour and a half drive from the city.
Visa: up to 90 days not required
Flight: from 21 214 rub. for a direct flight
For centuries this oldest city Central Asia was the main point of the Great Silk Road. Unique architecture of those times, noisy multi-colored bazaars seemed to come from the poems of ancient poets. It will take several days to carefully consider all the historical sights of Samarkand. The main places of the old city are the Bibi-Khanym Cathedral Mosque, the Ak-Saray Mausoleum, the Namozgokh Mosque, the Khodja-Ahror Madrasah and the Hazrat-Khizr Mosque. Around the historic city center sprawls modern Samarkand with Soviet architecture, parks and wide avenues - a very well-groomed modern city.
Visa: up to 90 days not required
Flight: from 30 589 rub. for a direct flight
Budget accommodation - from 1300 rubles / day, a 3 * hotel room - from 3266 rubles / day
Surrounded by misty mountain peaks, Dushanbe is both cultural, economic and political center countries. Long central Street the city is planted with tall trees between the neoclassical skyscrapers of the Union era. Inside, gray-bearded old men are sipping tea, and a peasant on a donkey drives past every now and then, it is not clear how he maneuvers between the stream of cars. In the center of the city there is a well-groomed park named after the poet Rudaki and the highest flagpole in the world. At the local museum musical instruments Gurminja give musical evenings, but the main attraction of Dushanbe is located 26 km from the city - the ancient Gissar fortress.
Visa: up to 90 days not required
Flight: from 25 351 rub. for a direct flight
Budget accommodation - from 500 rubles / day, a room in a 3 * hotel - from 2900 rubles / day
"Green" Bishkek impresses not so much with its architecture as with energy. Bars and discos here intersect with monuments to Kyrgyz heroes, and koumiss is still easier to find than overseas Long Island. Traditional teahouses and white-haired elders in colorful robes complete the picture. To enjoy the panorama of the city, it is worth climbing Mount Boz-Peldek, which can be reached by public transport.
At the foot of the mountain there is a complex of ancient burial places "Khan's graves". The cemetery is known primarily for the fact that one of the last rulers of this area, Solto Baityk Kanaev, is buried here. The local population considers this place sacred.
Visa: up to 90 days not required
Flight: from 15 054 rub. for a direct flight
Turkmenistan, Ashgabat
White marble palaces, golden domes and green parks made modern Ashgabat one of the most amazing discoveries of Central Asia. The city is transforming at an incredible speed, perfectly combining the traditional oriental flavor and the new European spirit. Lounge bars with views of the city's quaint sights have just been added to the noisy bazaars. Stalin skyscrapers and monuments (Monument of Independence and Arch of Neutrality) are the first thing you see when you are in Ashgabat, but to learn the history of the city, it is worth visiting the Carpet Museum and the National Museum.
Visa: $155 for 10 days, issued at the border at Ashgabat airport
Flight: from 22,543 rubles. for a direct flight
Budget accommodation - from 700 rubles / day, a room in a 3 * hotel - from 2300 rubles / day
Astana became the capital of Kazakhstan only in 1997, and since then a futuristic city of the future has grown on the site of a provincial steppe city.
Every year its horizon becomes more and more fantastic - wide avenues, multi-storey entertainment centers, concert halls and exhibition areas.
The city is divided into two parts by the Ishin River. The main attractions are located on the left bank: the symbol of Astana - the Baiterek tower, the Nur Astana mosque, the Round Square, the Palace of Peace and Accord, the Khazret Sultan Mosque, Khan-Shatyr and other interesting places.
130 kilometers from Astana is the Kurgaldzhinsky Reserve, where you can meet pink flamingos.
Visa: up to 90 days not required
Flight: from 24 044 rub. for a direct flight, from 16,245 rubles. - for a flight with transfers.
